Archive for May, 2015

Volkswagen, the German automaker announced today they are offering an Apple Watch app that will complement its wider mobile service.

VW’s Car-Net already has a number of standard “smart” features, such as remote settings of climate control, open windows check, parking locator, fuel monitoring, and battery monitoring. These apps are available from iOS, Android and soon to be on the Apple Watch.

Although those features are cool, they are not really must haves. One that is gaining attention is the speed and boundary alerts.

You can use the Car-Net app to set up specific driver alerts such as speed limits and boundary limits notifications. It is a great tool to have, but the alerts app could easily get lost in the vast array of apps competing for your attention on your phone.

With the Apple watch, it is slightly different. The device will monitor incoming notifications and only alert you of the most important ones. If you are inundated with alerts, it might be time to have a chat with your teen about safe driving habits and keeping you updated about their whereabouts.

VW Car-Net® is available on certain trims of 2014 and later Beetle, CC, Eos, Jetta, Passat and Tiguan vehicles and on all trims of 2015 and later Golf, Golf GTI, Golf R, Golf SportWagen and e-Golf vehicles.

Another useful feature that will be available in 2016 and later models, is the ability to remotely lock or unlock the car from the watch. Even though there are fobs for opening doors or trunks as you approach your vehicle, the convenience of having the open door feature right on your hand and not having to dig for keys solves a fairly common frustration. Imagine carrying many heavy bags or a toddler that is acting up. Having to dig for keys in your pocket or purse is the last thing you want to do in that situation. Those familiar with Apple Pay can appreciate this convenience.

Locating a parked automobile is simple, with a plan of the current vehicle position, walking or driving routes to the automobile. The Apple Watch app also has the capability to honk the horn and flicker the headlights of a Volkswagen car remotely.

Excited to hear more about the Volkswagen’s car-connected features and technology? Visit Chapman VW Tucson for a chance to test drive other Vollkswagen brand vehicles.

Volkswagen Motorsport Beetle rallycross cars have been upgraded for 2015. Clark Campbell—GM of Experiential Marketing, along with Scott Speed—Volkswagen Beetle GRC driver, share what is different this year:

1. More powerful 2015 Volkswagen Beetle GRC
This year, Volkswagen uses a new 2.0-liter turbo-four race engine that outputs 553 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. The Beetle GRC is powered by a 6-speed sequential racing transmission to all four wheels, and can hit 60 mph in 2 seconds flat claims VW.

2. Why the Beetle for rallying?
Campbell says in part to attract a target market of younger men and because of the Beetle’s unique shape, it stands out in Global Rallycross races much more than a regular hatch back. He went on to state that the Beetle is always a hit with the crowd.

3. The race cars and factory models are very similar
Most of the body parts such as the fenders, carry over from an average Volkswagen Beetle to the GRC race car. The race cars get a different rear floor pan and notches in the structure rails to support 4-wheel drive and additional suspension travel. However components such as the windshield glass, badging, car headlights, driver’s door, and windshield wipers remain the same.

4. Engineers spend more time making the cars tougher than making them faster
This year VW focused on making the race cars stronger so that they can take on more impact. Global Rallycross races are not won and lost by lap time but by car position, which is different from regular rallying. The jumps on GRC courses take a toll on the rally cars, so making the important adjustments is crucial.

5. GRC has the youngest motorsport TV demographic in the U.S.
Ten GRC races are scheduled for 2015, including seven races nationwide plus two in Barbados. All of the races will be televised on NBC. The average GRC viewer is 27 years old compared to 38 years of age for IndyCar and 42 years of age for NASCAR. Over 70% of the GRC audience is male. This is why VW wants to display the Beetle in these races.

6. Expect less drifting this year
Speed noted that drifting loses lots of time and drivers are starting to adjust, so he expects to see much less drifting this year. In the process drivers are posting faster times.

Excited to hear more about the infamous Volkswagen Beetle? Speak to one of our friendly representatives at Chapman VW Tucson today.

If, like most parents, you have concerns about letting your teen driver loose on the road, Volkswagen has some new technology that will help lessen your worry. The Car-Net app will let you set up alerts for when your child exceeds a certain speed limit or leaves a geographical region. When the car exceeds whatever limitations you have set, the Apple Watch receives a notification. If the notifications become too frequent, perhaps it’s time to have a talk with your teen driver. Talk to the experts at your Volkswagen in Tucson dealer, Chapman Volkswagen, for more information on this and other VW safety features.

Other Handy Features from VW

Other apps that work with your smartphone or Apple Watch include a remote door unlock connection, climate settings, a fuel level checker and car finder for those times when a stadium parking lot looks as big as all outdoors. As the Apple Watch continues to add features like Apple Pay, it is just a matter of time before consumers may never have to reach into their pockets for keys or a billfold again.

Many Ideas Come From the People

When Volkswagen launched the People’s Car Project in China, the company had no idea that more than 14 million people would visit the site online and supply 250,000 ideas on how to make the car of the future better. From environmental suggestions to personalization and connectivity, the Chinese experiment teamed up university students, creative leaders and the VW design team to build a prototype vehicle from the top 104 ideas. The result is a 7-vehicle crossover type vehicle with a futuristic design powered by a plug-in hybrid. It also features an emotion display to alert other drivers on the road as to the mood of the vehicle’s occupants.

E-mobility Shows Life in the Future

Volkswagen has dedicated a lot of resources to studying the future and how electric cars will affect life in the big cities. From creating better air to a noticeable reduction in the sounds of the city, the future of electric cars is bright. “There’s no way around the further electrification of our fleet,” said Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neusser, VW board member. “The development is currently progressing faster than we thought possible not even that long ago.” Visit your VW of Tucson dealer, Chapman Volkswagen, to see where VW technology is today and discuss where it is going in the next decade.

The Center of Automotive Management is a German automotive research institute that regularly conducts research on the industry with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). At a recent awards ceremony, CAM named Volkswagen as not only the most innovative car company of 2015, but also most innovative of the past 10 years. Citing more than 1,200 innovations “212 of which were world-firsts,” the research firm singled out VW for its work in pioneering driver assist safety features, LED headlights and a dry dual-clutch 7-speed gearbox, to name a few. You can see many of VW’s innovative technologies at your Tucson VW dealer, Chapman Volkswagen.

Not All Innovations Come in VWs

As the parent company for Audi, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Bentley and Porsche, some of Volkswagen’s innovations are showing up in other models. The development of the world’s fastest production vehicle, the Bugatti Veyron, falls into that category. Audi’s night vision assist and cross-traffic assist, as well as virtual cockpit of the Audi TT are some of the other innovations for which Volkswagen was recognized. “I share this award with the 600,000 employees of all the 12 brands of the Volkswagen Group in Germany and all our locations around the world,” said Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, VW board member for technical development.

Promise to Continue Pushing the Envelope

All it takes is a visit to your Tucson VW dealer to see how Volkswagen continues to implement technological firsts into all its vehicles. From the lighter materials in the body and chassis of the Passat to the fuel economy provided by the company’s hybrid and diesel offerings, VW continues to lead the pack in thinking outside the box. VW’s BlueMotion technology utilizes features like brake energy, a start/stop system and gear recommendation indicators to help you coax the most energy from your new VW.

The Next Big Thing

The Cross Coupe GTE was unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show this year and will be in production by early 2016. This hybrid SUV promises to change the way Americans think about motoring by providing a choice between electric only or hybrid power. An “electric driveshaft” provides power in off-road or low battery conditions, making this an SUV that can truly live up to the heritage of previous off-road vehicles without breaking the bank at the gas pump. Stay tuned to Chapman Volkswagen to see when the Cross Coupe GTE will be making its first appearance.

Volkswagen of America has set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® for “lowest fuel consumption—48 U.S. states for a non-hybrid car” by travelling a staggering 77.99 mpg, which is 10 mpg better than the previous mark. It also smashed the previous hybrid vehicle record of 64.6 mpg!

The record breaking car was the Passat TDI Clean Diesel which left Herndon, Virginia, the location of Volkswagen of America’s headquarters, on June 7th. The car travelled a total of 8,122 miles through all 48 lower states and returned back on June 24th. On their return drivers Wayne Gerdes and Bob Winger were warmly greeted by VW employees, along with Tom Rust and Jim LeMunyon Virginia State Delegates.

Delegate Tom Rust indicated that breaking the world record was a huge accomplishment and thanked VW for doing their part to make vehicles more environmentally friendly.

President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. Jonathan Browning stated that it was astonishing to cover the 8,122 miles on only 104.94 gallons.

Driver Wayne Gerdes was impressed with VW’s Passat TDI Clean Diesel vehicle and even though they used a few tricks to smash the records, there is no reason why regular drivers cannot get outstanding mileage with just a few simple pointers, such as:

1. Plan ahead and use the topography to your advantage like using downhill momentum to help with an uphill section.

2. Avoid heavy braking and acceleration since they consume fuel at a much higher rate.

3. Drive within the speed limit, you can save as much as 30% by not speeding.

VW employs the Think Blue® philosophy in how they approach the manufacturing of their vehicles and is aimed at making them one of the most eco-conscious automakers on the planet.

The Passat TDI used to smash the record. It was filled with Shell ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel, available at nearly 8,000 Shell stations nationwide, and Continental PureContact® with EcoPlus® Technology tires, which provide improve fuel efficiency.

The 2013 Volkswagen Passat TDI utilizes innovative turbocharged and direct-injection Clean Diesel engine to attain EPA estimated highway fuel economy of 43 mpg, when combined with the six-speed manual transmission . For city driving, the 2013 Passat has an EPA estimate of 31 mpg. The 18.5 gallon tank will allow the Passat TDI to drive up to 795 highway miles before having to refuel. Driving habits, road structure and vehicle conditions are some of the factors that will make your actual mileage vary.